Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Decision Opens the Door for Widespread Attack on Employee
Rights
BOSTON, June 27,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters are condemning the
decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to
allow Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart to go before
voters this November with an anti-worker, anti-taxpayer referendum.
The ballot question, if passed, would legitimize Big Tech
companies' practice of unlawfully misclassifying employees as
independent contractors.
"These billion-dollar companies like Uber and Lyft are brazenly
using worker misclassification as a cover while they engage in wage
theft and deny fair wages, benefits, and job protections to their
workforce," said Tom Mari, Teamsters
Local 25 President. "This misguided decision paves the way for
these greedy corporations to continue abusing workers and
externalizing their labor costs onto the public. Despite this
setback, we will continue fighting for workers in Massachusetts."
The measure, as written, contradicts the Commonwealth's standard
for independent contractor classification – the ABC Test – and the
U.S. Dept. of Labor's standard, the Economic Realities Test. Beyond
the negative impact on workers, worker misclassification robs state
coffers: a recent study found that many gig workers earn less than
minimum wage after expenses, and an inquiry by the state auditor
found that gig companies have been bilking government programs for
millions of dollars in revenue.
Teamsters Local 25 represents more than 12,000 members and their
families in greater Boston and
southern New England. For more information, visit
teamsterslocal25.com.
Contact:
Matt McQuaid, (617)
894-0669
mmcquaid@teamster.org
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SOURCE Teamsters Local 25